Europe’s payment landscape is changing fast. Digital wallets, open banking, real-time transfers—and now, the prospect of a digital euro—are reshaping how we pay. But the key question remains: do consumers actually want these innovations?

Fragmentation vs. Uniformity

MuchBetter, the wearable payments pioneer, has introduced two new colour options for its stylish contactless Mastercard® payment ring: gloss white and gloss black. These sleek additions join the existing brushed black with more styles planned to join the range in future, giving customers even more ways to personalise their payment experience while enjoying the ultimate convenience of tap-and-go transactions.

As a key player from the outset in the reform of electronic invoicing, which will come into force in 2026 in France, Pennylane has established itself as a key reference in this field.

Viva.com, the 1st Tech Bank in Europe for Businesses, has expanded its pan-European activation of Mastercard Move on its payments and banking platform to 24 countries, following the addition of the UK as an additional live origination market. This step enables businesses across 24 European countries to send and receive near-instant payments regardless of currency and geography, enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

ClearBank, the enabler of real-time clearing and embedded banking, today released its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2024 and 2024 Annual Report. These show the business has made progress on its growth strategy, positioning itself for long-term international expansion as it establishes its Group structure. The UK business posted annual pre-tax profits for the second year running, with strong growth in fee-based income, deposits and clients.

In a first for the SaaS industry, fintech Lemon is unveiling its 0% financing product, allowing businesses to finance their software subscriptions without any additional interest. 

FNZ, the leading global end-to-end technology platform serving wealth and asset  management businesses, today announces it has secured US$500 million in new equity funding.  

The company has secured the equity funding from its long-term institutional investors who remain closely  aligned with FNZ’s strategy and ambitions. 

Ayan Capital, a fast-growing provider of halal vehicle financing, has secured up to £25 million in Shariah-compliant financing facility from institutional debt provider Partners for Growth (PFG), a global private credit firm with a strong 20-year track record of backing high-growth technology and fintech companies in more than 20 countries. This investment reflects the rising demand for Islamic financial products in the UK and reinforces Ayan Capital's position as a key player in the sector.

Open Banking fintech, Yavrio, has announced it is now connected to corporate accounts at Wells Fargo, J.P. Morgan, Citi Bank, Bank of America and U.S Bank, the five largest banks in the US, as it expands internationally.

In “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” Gus Portokalos famously claimed Windex could fix anything from psoriasis to poison ivy. Today’s fintech world seems to have found its own Windex in AI — a supposed cure-all for every business challenge. Just spray some machine learning algorithms, add a GenAI-powered chatbot, and watch your operational inefficiencies disappear and your margins grow! Yet as Klarna’s journey from “AI can do all jobs” to “humans are invaluable” demonstrates, the reality is far more nuanced.